


Crossing The Horizon

by Meghan8awesome



Series: LatteWeek2k19 [1]
Category: Horizon: Zero Dawn (Video Game), Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Alternate Universe - Fusion, Childhood Friends, Friends to Lovers, Getting Together, Latteweek2k19, M/M, Voltron meets Horizon Zero Dawn meets Latte
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-03-18
Updated: 2019-03-18
Packaged: 2019-11-23 11:31:15
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,096
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18151301
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Meghan8awesome/pseuds/Meghan8awesome
Summary: Lance and Matt have been friends for ages. In a world where machines roam as wildlife, Matt takes a shot at love.





	Crossing The Horizon

**Author's Note:**

> HELLO! I'm back! Today marks the beginning of Latte Week 2019! My friends on the Latte server and I have put together some great stuff for you guys this week to celebrate a whole 7 days of these beautiful boys. I'm going to have 6 more stories coming at you for the myriad of prompts we've got going on! Make sure to check out all your favourite Latte artists and writers as well cause they've got some great stuff too! If you want to take part in Latte week the list of prompts is up on the Latte tumblr so go check that out!
> 
> Today's prompt is! *drum roll* Childhood friends/Friends to lovers !!! Me being me, smushed them together and then threw it all in the setting of one of my favourite video games!
> 
> Anyway on with the Story! 
> 
> Edit* I haven't finished Horizon Zero Dawn yet cause life but it's amazing and 10/10 recommend. But yeah I took some minor creative liberties here.

He sees the boy in the valley below Mother’s Heart. 

His mother is teaching him how to track the paths of the Watchers so that he can sneak passed them and to the larger and more valuable prey. The other boy and what looks like his older brothers are on a similar expedition but they’re above the pair, traversing the cliff face.

The other boy is lithe and quick, jumping from hold to hold with ease and grace. Matt is jealous for a moment before he catches the same boy looking at him curiously. 

Matt looks away to continue tracking the Watcher through the grass. The metal beast is none the wiser to his presence in the tall grass. He waits until it is close enough to him for a quick strike and suddenly bursts out the grass. The unprepared machine falls easily to his spear and the noises of the metal workings fades as the light fades from the lens of the Watcher.

“Excellent job Matt! Just like I showed you.” Colleen beams with pride from her own hiding spot a little behind him. 

Matt turns with a great big smile splitting his face. He sees the younger boy still, perched on a small outcropping and gaping at him. He sends a wink up the the boy who turns bright red before scrambling off after his brothers.

Colleen shows him how to scavenge through the pieces of the dead machine and pick out the useful bits and shards. Once their small pouches are filled with as much as they can scrounge up, they head back to Mother’s Heart.

As they’re approaching the bridge to Mother’s Heart, Matt catches sight of the boy from the rocks and waves when they make eye contact. The boy turns red again before ducking behind his brother. 

“What the--? Lance? What are you doing?” The older boy looks around for something that could have spooked his brother before his eyes land on Matt and his mother.

“Colleen! Nice to see you!” the older boy calls, waving at them.

“Marco! Always a pleasure.” Colleen replies as she and Matt walk confidently over to the trio.

“This must be the youngest of the family huh?” Colleen ducks down to be closer to the young boy’s level, “Nice to meet you, I’m Colleen and this is my son Matt.” 

Matt steps forward with his hand extended to the younger boy, “Your climbing is very impressive, there are a couple holds up there that you managed with ease that I still have trouble with. Maybe you could give me a few pointers?” 

“Uh, sure but I don’t think there’s much I could show you, you’re pretty great already. The way you took down that Watcher was really cool.” The boy mumbles from behind Marco’s leg. 

Matt blushes a bit at the compliment and the boy giggles.

“You should introduce yourself.” Marco suggests to his brother.

The boy looks up unsure but nods determinedly to himself and steps a bit out from behind Marco’s leg. Matt’s hand is still extended and he grabs it firmly but hesitantly. 

“My names Lance. It’s nice to meet you Matt.” the boy--Lance--shakes his hand before letting go quickly and moving back to be closer to Marco again. 

“Well we’d better get home or mama will have our heads for being out so late. It was nice to meet you Matt. Maybe the two of you can go climbing together soon?” Marco says with an eyebrow raised in Colleen’s direction. 

“I’ll talk with Rosa, see if we can’t arrange something.” Colleen smiles while Matt waves at Lance as the three boys walk across the bridge toward home.

Matt looks at his mother, “I like him.” 

Colleen laughs before leading her son to their own home.

~~~~~~~~

Matt goes through The Proving the year he turns 18. Two whole years before Lance does. It’s hard being a Brave and not being able to see Lance every waking moment. The two became inseparable after their first stint together on the cliffs and might as well have shared a brain. Things Matt did, Lance did and things Lance did, Matt did. 

Lance’s desire to go through The Proving grew with every moment Matt wasn’t in Mother’s Heart or even outside the Spine. He worried over Matt meeting machines he couldn’t handle or obstacles he couldn’t overcome. Outside the Spine was a dangerous place. 

Matt would always come back on one piece, if a little banged up, but always whole. Lance frets over him more than his own mother and he wouldn’t trade it for the world.

Being a Brave is hard, but coming home and seeing Lance again makes it worth it.

~~~~~~~~

He creeps through the tall grass, bow in hand with an arrow at the ready. The Strider grazing in front if him has yet to see him. The Watchers of the group have been dispatched and this Strider is far enough away from the rest that he should have no trouble taking it out quickly and quietly. 

The snap of a stick from nearby startles the Strider and it bolts. 

“Dammit.” he hisses, “there go all my parts! Now where am I going to get those damn shards?” 

He puts his arrow away and begins to creep back down towards the dirt road. He’d normally just choose another target but he was running on borrowed time for that one anyway. 

The road is rocky and winds all through the Sacred Lands. He makes his way quickly down the road towards Mother’s Cradle. He’s got a couple shards and parts tor trade but not enough for the Carja bow he really wants. 

He finds a trader quickly and once his business is complete he makes his way quickly back to Mother’s Heart. The Proving is happening tomorrow and he needs to be there for his sister. 

The Capital is buzzing with activity this time of year and there are many more Nora Braves in the city than there usually are. He would know, he’s not usually in the city, being a Brave himself. 

He’s distracted from his train of thought by a snowball hitting him square in the back of the head. More snow hits the ground as the culprit snakes their way down the roof of the house they’re were hiding out on. The sound of running boots carries to his ears and he knows exactly who his target is.

He takes off down the road in the opposite direction as his attacker, dodging and weaving through the crowds of onlookers. The people of the city are used to their antics by now and them chasing each other through the streets is more than commonplace.

“Lance get you again did he Matt?” he hears Hunk call from the door of a small house as he runs by.

“It wouldn’t be a normal day in the city if he didn’t Hunk!” Matt calls back as he sprints past. Hunk’s full laugh follows him down the street.

Matt’s nears the path Lance likes to take to hide and climbs up to the roof of the nearest building. He knows Lance hasn’t made it here yet so he waits. 

Lance’s head of rich brown curls comes into view moments later and Matt leaps from the short roof to tackle the younger man into the snowbank on the edge of the street.

Lance shrieks as they tumble into the snow, limbs flailing everywhere and snow flying. Matt laughing in triumph the whole way.

Matt pins Lance down with a grin.

“When will you learn that the snowball thing only ever ends badly for you?”

“When it doesn’t end with me pinned to the ground underneath you.” Lance grins cheekily and Matt throws his head back and laughs at the teasing. 

“Fair enough!” Matt climbs off of Lance and stands up, offering his hand to the younger man to help him up as well. 

“You know, I wouldn’t be able to get the drop on you nearly as often if you got here before me for once. I’d thought you’d have beaten me this time, especially with Pidgey going through The Proving tomorrow.”

“I was hunting some Striders down the Spine. I needed to trade for something before I got back otherwise I would have been here yesterday.” Matt explains as they make their way deeper into the city.

“Oh! A present for Pidge when she kicks absolute butt tomorrow?” Lance asks excitedly.

“I got that gift ages ago, no this gift is for something much more life changing then that.” he replies, poker face in full form.

“More life changing than your only sister going through The Proving and becoming a full fledged Nora Brave? Who are you and what have you done with Matt the incredibly doting older brother?” Lance stops dead right in front of him and pokes him in the chest dramatically. 

“For me! More life changing for me!” Matt laughs at Lance’s antics.

“For you? What life changing event do you have planned?” a worried look passes over Lance’s face, “You’re not leaving the Sacred Lands are you? I know the outside world is interesting but there’s no reason to leave and not be able to come back!” 

Matt grabs the other man’s shoulders to keep him still. He ducks his head a little to be able to look Lance straight in the eye.

“No, Lance I’m not going anywhere”, he places his right hand on Lance’s neck for reassurance, “I’m not leaving, and even if I was, I wouldn’t dare go alone.” 

Lance searches Matt’s face for a moment, he finds something in Matt’s expression and smiles. His expression quickly morphs into a pout.

“Don’t scare me like that Matt! I was actually worried!” Lance huffs.

“I can promise you Lance, I wouldn’t just up and leave you to go see what the Tainted lands have to offer. Now come on, my parents are preparing a feast fit for a king at their place tonight and you’re obviously invited.” the warm smile on Matt’s face melts the pout off of Lance. 

The two men make their way, unhurriedly, towards the Holt’s home, arms wrapped around each other as they trade stories of their recent missions and hunts.

The Holt’s home is rather spacious for three people since Matt moved into a small home of his own. The smell of roasting boar makes their stomachs growl in anticipation of a good meal. 

Pidge comes racing around the corner when she hears Matt and Lance enter and throws herself at them both.

“Hey Pidgey! Big day tomorrow, you ready?” Lance ruffles the short girl’s hair.

“I was born ready Lance. Matt better be ready for tomorrow too, if I come in top ten he has to do something for me!” She crows.

“Oh? A bet? What’s he gotta do when he loses?” Lance stage whispers at Pidge.

“He knows what he’s gotta do but it’s a surprise for everyone else. He was supposed to pick something up today so he’d be ready but I don’t see it.” Pidge looks around her brother’s form dramatically.

“I came up just short on the shards from my hunt today. I don’t suppose you’ve got an extra you could spot me?” He asks hopefully. He really does want that dang bow, it’s important!

“As long as you pay me back within the next two days then yeah, I’ll help you out.” Pidge smirks.

Lance looks between the two in confusion because he has no idea what could possibly make Matt want to owe his sister a favour let alone shards.

“Done.” Matt and Pidge shake hands before Pidge unwinds herself from the two men and dashes off further into the house.

Silence reigns over the two.

“Okay, seriously, what is this life changing thing you need to get that you need to borrow shards from your sister for? You never borrow shards from her!”

“You’ll find out tomorrow after The Proving.” Matt winks before he too dashes off into the house. 

Lance just stands there dumbfounded. “What in the world does he have planned?”

~~~~~~~~

Matt slips out after dinner to meet up with a local trader who he knows for sure has the quality Carja bows he’s looking for. He manages to track the man down and purchase exactly the one he’s looking for before sneaking it back into his parents’ house. 

~~~~~~~~

The Proving was just as tough as it always is. Pidge managed to not only come in top ten but she came in fourth of the twenty five who started the challenge. She’s receiving her honours from the Matriarchs when she makes pointed eye contact with Matt over the heads of the crowd. Lance has moved off to stand with his family and Hunk while the families of the new Braves circle around the Matriarchs and the new warriors of the Nora. 

As soon as Pidge is done, Matt sneaks off to his parents’ home and retrieves the bow. He’s wrapped it up nicely in a cloth to keep it both hidden and safe until he presents it to its recipient. 

The last of the new Braves is standing up in front of the Matriarchs when Matt arrives back in the square. A great cry goes up from the people of Mother’s Heart and the celebrations begin.

Matt makes his way quickly over to Lance, weaving in between the other Nora to get to the younger man. 

“Lance!” he calls when he sees the head of curly hair. 

“Matt! I thought you’d be with Pidge still, she did just absolutely wreck The Proving after all.” Lance grins, proud of his friend.

“I just lost a bet remember? I have to go give this life changing item to its intended recipient but I need your help! Come with me?” Lance raises a skeptical brow.

“You need my help to give someone a gift? Is it a girl? Do you need your finest support man to help you win her over?” Matt leads the excited man away from the mass of people mulling about in the square. 

They continue away from the middle of the city and towards the cliffs that look out upon the Spine.

“Matt? Where are we going? All the people are back the way we came.” Lance says as they come to a stop under a strong tree on the edge of the cliff. 

“They are but I’m not actually looking for anyone.” Matt turns and faces Lance with the bundled bow in his hands in front of him.

“This is what I was trading for,” he hands the bow over to Lance, “the area I was stationed in didn’t have many of the larger machines so trying to get all the shards I needed for it was pretty slow going. I didn’t have enough, that’s why I asked Pidge to lend me some.”

Lance lifts the cloth off if the bow and gasps.

“Matt! This bow is super expensive! No wonder you were late getting here if this is what you were saving for. But why? What’s so life changing about this? I mean it’s a beautiful bow but it’s too expensive to be just a gift for someone. It would make a great courting gift though.” Lance rambles.

“That’s kind of the idea actually. It’s a courting gift.” Lance freezes.

“Seriously? You’re going to be courting someone? Who? What’s her name? What’s she like? Do I know her?” Lance spits the questions rapid fire in his excitement.

“Uh well yeah, I’m trying to court someone. I figured you’d know who it is by the type of bow.” Matt says awkwardly.

“The type of bow?” Lance looks down at the weapon in his hands, “well it’s definitely Carja. Looks like a pretty slow draw though so it wouldn’t be Nadya or Acxa. That one girl from my batch had her eyes on you for a while but no.” he pauses.

“Wait, is this a Sharpshot?” Lance asks. 

Matt nods.

“I’m confused. This is a sniping bow, there aren’t any snipers in Mother’s Heart right now. All of them are out on the borders. Who could you possibly be trying to court with this?” Lance’s face is scrunched up, trying to puzzle through his thoughts.

“That’s where you’re wrong, there is one sniper in Mother’s Heart right now. That’s who I’m trying to give this bow to.” Matt says, trying to spell it out for Lance.

“I meant other than me! There aren’t any snipers in the city right now except for…” he trails off as it dawns on him.

“You. There aren’t any Braves in the Heart right now except for you who I could possibly be courting with a Carja Sharpshot. I thought it was kind of obvious with your nickname around the camps and the name of the type of bow.” Matt rubs the back of his neck to try and keep the awkwardness and fear off his face.

Lance stares quietly at the bow in his hands. He doesn’t look at Matt.

“Lance? It’s alright to say no. If I made you uncomfortable it’s okay, nothing needs to come of this. I wanted to take the chance while I could but if you’re not okay with this it’s alrig--”

“You’re serious?”

“What?”

“You’re serious about courting me?”

“Of course. I know what this kind of thing means to you, I wouldn’t hurt you like that. I’m entirely serious about this and you.”

“Good, I’m staying at your house tonight. We’ve got a wedding to plan.” 

“Okay, wait what? Wedding?”

“I’m accepting your offer of courtship and I’ve known you long enough to know that we don’t need one. So we’re going to go back to your house, light a fire, snuggle up and plan our wedding. Then I’m keeping you up as long as possible tonight because I have dreamed about you for years and I want to get very familiar with the reality of those dreams.” Lance pulls his new bow close to his chest as he spins around to make his way back towards the city and Matt’s small house.

Matt moves to follow but Lance spins back around and stops him with a quick kiss to the cheek before taking off again.

Later, as they’re snuggled into each other, basking in the warmth of the fire and each other Matt here’s Lance whisper.

“Pidge is never going to let you forget about those shards she lent you.” Matt giggles and pulls Lance closer.

“Nope.”

**Author's Note:**

> I hope you enjoyed my first installment of this Latte week series! Tune in tomorrow for day 2 and another fic from me! Let me know what you thought and maybe if this one should continue? I really like this game and this idea hit me like a truck and I really like it. I might play in this sandbox again sometime.


End file.
